Wat Phra Baht Ming Muang

Today, Wat Phra Baht Ming Muang is recognized as a royal temple. It’s located in the center of Phrae’s old town, opposite the post office and within short walking distance of local hotels, restaurants and other attractions. A visit here often winds up a walking tour of the old town, if only because of its convenient central location.

This is about as urban as Phrae gets, and the fact that this temple is surrounded by many buildings and electric cables makes it difficult to find a good angle for a photograph. Tourists anxious to snap as many pictures as possible may have better luck at Wat Phra Non, Wat Jom Sawan or Wat Luang, all of which are nearby.

One of the buildings that make up this temple is an 18th century ordination hall, built in a typical Laotian style. It is often used for special ceremonies or to receive prominent monks when they visit Phrae.

There’s a striking Buddha image in the viharn called Phra Phutthakosai, which is similar to the Phra Chinnarat in Phitsanulok, one of the most revered images in all the country. The Phra Phutthakosai is well known throughout Phrae and draws a regular stream of devotees from across the province.

This temple, like so many others in Thailand, claims to have an original Buddha footprint inside its chedi. Legend states that a cave once stood where the chedi now is. At its entrance was a footprint of the Lord Buddha, which was preserved even after the cave crumbled. This footprint may not be as ancient as it purports to be, but the legend certainly dates back several centuries.